Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing Lender Panel Compliance Tool

Lexsure’s COMPLETIONmonitor is an online pre- and post-completion checklist for property lawyers. Supported by the CML and PI insurers such as AmTrust. It is a unique risk management tool.

This system optimises the way you can prove to lender panels that you are, and can stay fully compliant with their instructions, with automatic updates on Aviva Equity Release’s changes. Notwithstanding that utilising this technology is not a prerequisite for Aviva Equity Release , demonstrating you can remain up to date with Aviva Equity Release’s Handbook requirements is a helpful support to your application to their lender panel and, just as importantly, protect your panel standing.

COMPLETIONmonitor creates real-time alerts, automatically produces SRA and CQS reports, and will increase your firm's efficiency. It is also user friendly, cost-effective and, for many firms, leads to reduced PII premiums.

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Banks and building societies frequently change their requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements from Aviva Equity Release are not guidelines, they are instructions from a client. As with many clients, instructions can change - and they do change, over time:

A Timeline of Policy Changes


Since 2008, Aviva Equity Release has made 98 revisions or additions to sections of their version of the CML Handbook.
That equates to a section change every 27.9 days. In total, 20% of the sections of P2 of the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Aviva Equity Release have been changed since 15/12/2008.

To find out more about lender panel compliance,

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Recent Changes Include

# Date Assoc. Changes Related To
6.14.1b 01/12/2014 CML
buildings insurance in joint names or lender interest noted
6.14.3 01/12/2014 CML
notification of non-renewal/cancellation for buildings insurance policy
5.20.4 12/09/2013 CML
Green Deal Plans
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd requirements for conveyancing panel/approved lawyers as to whether Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd need to be advised as to details of any existing Green Deal Plan(s) on a property
6.7.1 06/06/2012 CML
New Build Conveyancing
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved conveyancer requirements for New Build Conveyancing : Home Warranty Schemes
17.2.1b 28/03/2011 CML
Evidence of Discharge of Mortgage
Do Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd send the discharge via a DS 1 form or direct with the Land Registry?
3.1.4 28/03/2011 CML
details of the seller's solicitors or licensed conveyancers
5.7.1a 28/03/2011 CML
Flying Freeholds
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd approved lawyers clarification as to whether they lend on flying freeholds
Flying Freehold Indemnity Insurance
10.2a 01/12/2010 CML
Mortgage Advance and Certificate of Title
Do Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd send the mortgage advance electronically or by cheque?
16.3.7b 01/12/2010 CML
Transfer of Equity
Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd guidance to conveyancing panel lawyers for form of attestation clause for Transfer of Equity
4.1 01/12/2010 CML
Mortage valuation
Do Aviva Equity Release UK Ltd arrange for there to be a valuation report and if so, do they provide it to their conveyancing panel lawyers ?

Last update 11/11/2018

Frequently asked questions relating to the Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing Panel from members of the public

Much to my surprise I have been told by my financial adviser that my property lawyer is not on the Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing panel. How can I check?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your conveyancer. You lawyer should advise you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a firm that is on the conveyancing panel for Aviva Equity Release.
can you help? My solicitor is informing me me that he has to order a Local Authority search because the firm are on the Aviva Equity Release solicitor panel. Do I not have a choice here?
You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with Aviva Equity Release your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of Aviva Equity Release’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook requirements last updated Aviva Equity Release. even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out a local authority search.
I am looking to buy a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Leeds who is on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing. Can you recommend a local firm?
Our service is a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Aviva Equity Release . We don’t recommend any particular firm.
Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Aviva Equity Release Conveyancing panel in advance of the moving date as agreed at exchange of contracts?
First, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have ti instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by the regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.
Is it the case that all conveyancing solicitors on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel work on a no move no charge basis?
On the whole there are no requirements by lenders for their firms to operate on a no-sale-no-fee basis. There a small number of lenders who operate a very restricted conveyancing panel managed by a third party company (often termed in the industry as a ‘gatekeeper’). That third party may impose certain conditions such as non-sale-no fee on the panel firms. If you require this as a condition of your conveyancing then you should check with the conveyancing firm that this is part of their package
I had an offer accepted on an apartment on the 17th February 2014, valuation was booked 3 days after, all came back fine. Conveyancer retained, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Aviva Equity Release and chasing them on my offer I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Aviva Equity Release to deal with your lawyers application to be on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitors will be accepted.
My offer on house has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on somewhere, but not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. My conveyancing solicitor has been instructed. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage app going with Aviva Equity Release?
It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey/valuation, conveyancing search costs, etc). First you should check that your solicitor is on the Aviva Equity Release conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot mortgage some buyers would pally for the mortgage with Aviva Equity Release and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to press on with searches.